Love Heals (the Original Work)

Her smile stretched to its maximum arc on her face, "No need, I can manage on my own."

She walked into the water, the temperature slightly lower after the rain, the water lapping over her feet, still somewhat cool.

She didn't stop, taking step by step toward the distance.

Only when the water submerged her knees did she turn back and see him still standing where he was.

She tried hard to smile, waving at him and shouting loudly, "Teacher Ning, see you tomorrow!"

See you tomorrow, Teacher Ning. That was all he was now.

Zhiqian, I loved you, like flowers in bloom. The flowers may wither, but they bear fruit afterward; life will have its next abundance.

Goodbye, Zhiqian.

She saw, in the neon lights of the post-rain city, that his eyes were still brighter than the street lamps. It seemed as though he was smiling at her in the brilliant lights, as blurry as if he had never smiled before—but that didn't matter. What mattered was that there was a long way home, and she would turn around and continue the journey alone.

Back home, her pants were soaked halfway up, but Mom Pei Sufen kept eyeing her with a peculiar look.

She knew what her mom had in mind but acted as if she didn't understand and silently took a shower.

Pei Sufen brought her the warmed-up meal and took the opportunity to start questioning her, "Zheng'er, did you get used to your first day at Beiya?"

"Uh-huh," she replied briefly, knowing what the next question would be.

"Did you meet any teachers?"

"Uh-huh."

"Did you see Zhiqian?"

There it was...

"Uh-huh." She didn't lie; there was no need. Even if she had avoided it today, tomorrow or the day after, her Mom would persistently continue to ask.

"Did you... greet each other?" Pei Sufen asked tentatively.

"Uh-huh, I paid back the money I owed him."

"That's good, that's good." Pei Sufen echoed twice, and there was silence between mother and daughter for a while before she said, "Zheng'er, I remember you used to talk about making congee for Zhiqian. Now that you are a doctor too, I'll make congee for you to take tomorrow morning."

"Mom, there's no need." She knew in her heart that this congee was likely not just for her.

"You should! You are in the operating room for hours, sometimes more than ten hours. Don't end up with a stomach condition. Also, I bought some fruit; I washed them, take them with you tomorrow! Oh, right!" Pei Sufen, while speaking, went to fetch a big bag of something, "You're not young anymore, yet you don't know how to take care of yourself. Remember to use this, start with a face mask after dinner, then go in order, toner first, then serum..."

Ruan Liuzheng stared at the big bag of skincare products, suddenly realizing that in this aspect, her mom was more knowledgeable than she was...

"And, I went shopping for you today and bought several new outfits. Wear new clothes to work tomorrow!"

When Ruan Liuzheng saw the girlish-style dresses paired with stiletto heels, she was utterly convinced, "Mom! I'm going to work! I have to be in the operating room! How do you expect me to wear this? Are you not worried I'll break my feet?"

"I know you have to change clothes and shoes; you can wear them first so Zhiqian sees, then change..." As Pei Sufen said this, she immediately stopped, realizing she had spoken too quickly.

She knew what her mom was really hoping for!

"Mom! I'm already divorced from him! Divorced!" She put down her chopsticks, feeling that she really couldn't manage to eat anymore.

Pei Sufen, aware she had misspoken, felt quite ashamed in front of her daughter.

Seeing her mom like this, Ruan Liuzheng couldn't bear it and softly said, "Mom, don't think about it anymore. Zhiqian already has children, should I still go and disrupt his family?"